Behavioral responses by an apex predator to urbanization

Area of Science:

• Urban ecology
• Wildlife behavior
• Spatial ecology

Background:

• Urbanization presents a complex gradient for wildlife, eliciting varied responses from synanthropic to misanthropic.
• Some species exhibit nonlinear responses to urbanization, with initial benefits turning detrimental at higher levels.
• Foraging theory provides a framework for understanding animal responses to resource availability and risk in changing environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To predict and describe the behavioral and spatial responses of coyotes (Canis latrans) along an urbanization gradient.
• To investigate how home range characteristics and movement behaviors change with increasing urbanization.
• To apply foraging theory concepts to understand apex predator adaptation in urban landscapes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Hidden Markov movement models to analyze coyote movement data.
• Estimated home range size and complexity for coyotes across varying urbanization levels.
• Quantified movement metrics including time spent encamped, foraging, and traveling.

Main Results:

• Coyotes displayed negative responses to highly urbanized landscapes, perceiving them as lower quality, riskier, and more fragmented.
• Suburban landscapes elicited mixed responses: coyotes viewed them as higher quality but also fragmented.
• Home range size and complexity, and time spent encamped, generally increased with urbanization, indicating negative impacts.

Conclusions:

• Wildlife behavioral responses to urbanization are degree-dependent, showing nonlinear patterns.
• Coyotes, despite negative responses to high urbanization, can still occupy and utilize highly urbanized environments.
• This study provides novel insights into apex predator space use and movement within urbanized ecosystems.